NCJ Number
30240
Date Published
1975
Length
80 pages
Annotation
A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF MILITARY PERSONNEL CONFINED IN MILITARY AND CIVILIAN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.
Abstract
BECAUSE THE SAMPLE OF ARMY AND AIR FORCE INMATES IS INCOMPLETE, VALID SERVICE COMPARISONS, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION WITHIN THE MILITARY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, ARE POSSIBLE ONLY WHEN CORRECTED FOR KNOWN DIFFERENCES IN AGE AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF THE SERVICE POPULATION. THE DISPROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION OF BLACKS IN BOTH THE MILITARY AND CIVILIAN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IS WELL ESTABLISHED. CLEARLY THE MILITARY SYSTEM TO A LARGE EXTENT SIMPLY MIRRORS THE CIVILIAN SYSTEM. THIS IS PARTICULARLY APPARENT IN TERMS OF THE EFFECTS OF AGE, EDUCATION AND OFFENSE TYPE ON THE RATIOS OF BLACKS TO WHITES IN THE INMATE POPULATION, WHICH EXPLAIN MANY OF THE DIFFERENCES IN THESE INMATE POPULATIONS BUT DO NOT ENTIRELY ACCOUNT FOR SERVICE DIFFERENCES, SO THAT ADDITIONAL SELECTION PROCESSES MUST BE PRESENT. WITHIN A GIVEN SERVICE AND OFFENSE TYPE NO INDICATION OF ANY RACIAL DIFFERENCE IN SENTENCE LENGTH OF PRECONFINEMENT PRACTICE WAS FOUND. THE ANALYSIS LEAVES THE OVERALL IMPRESSION THAT ANY DISCRIMINATION IS REFLECTED IN DIFFERENCES IN THE PROBABILITY OF BECOMING INVOLVED WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM RATHER THAN DIFFERENCES IN TREATMENT WITHIN THE JUDICIAL OR CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)